Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries have an extremely healthy reputation and should be considered to satiate your appetite when you need a little snack. The health benefits of blueberries can dramatically improve your well being because of antioxidant capabilities.

When out shopping for blueberries steer clear of soft or damaged ones and focus your attention on the firm and fresh only. Blueberries should appear lively and vibrant in the color of navy blue with a tinge of dark purple.

Do not purchase blueberries that appear to have mold and avoid packages that have too much moisture as water causes the berries to decay quickly. It’s best to eat frozen, fresh, or dried blueberries because the antioxidants are greater.

With that said, here’s is why you should make a trip to your nearest grocery store right now.

The health benefits for blueberries are as follows:

• Blueberries balance mood swings.

• Blueberries are rich in vitamin A, B complex, C, selenium, iron, zinc, and boost your immune system.

• Blueberries reduce abdominal fat that are risks cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

• Blueberries neutralize free radicals that causes are boies to decay and age.

• Blueberries promote healthy brain activity.

• Blueberries slow down the process of visual loss.

• Blueberries aid digestion.

• Blueberries have antibiotic properties that promote good urinary tract health.

• Blueberries fight against Heart Disease.

• Blueberries are cruciferous which means cancer fighting.

• Blueberries help save you money because now that you’re being proactive about staying healthy, you’re not spending your hard earned cash for doctor visits.

• Bluberries are terrific anti-depressants and mood elevators.

Need I say more? 

Choosing and using blueberries

For many people seeing the price tag for fresh organic blueberries is a real jolt. Some of the cost can be minimized by buying wild blueberries. These are often the same quality as those certified organic. Frozen blueberries provide all the antioxidant potential and other nutrients found in fresh ones. If you are looking for frozen berries, check the bag to make sure the berries move around freely and are not stuck together, indicating they have been thawed and refrozen. If you like some juice with your blueberries, frozen is the way to go.

As a general rule, the riper the fruit the greater its antioxidant content.

Organic dried blueberries are also a good choice, especially for snacking since the sweetness is accentuated by the drying process. The antioxidant potential of dried blueberries can be as much as four times greater than that of fresh. Organic dried berries will have been dried at temperatures low enough to protect their antioxidant capabilities.

Heat is a destroyer of the antioxidant potential of blueberries, making canned or other processed berries a poor choice. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be pureed and fed to babies. Blueberries in baby food jars will have lost most of their nutritional value.